Like the Sun
by mizzshy
Summary: When Mustang comes by with flowers for Al, Ed gets more than he was expecting. [Day 28 of Pride Month fic challenge.]


**Twenty-eighth fic for a Pride Month prompt challenge from tumblr. Prompt: flowers.**

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After the Promised Day, Central's military hospital finds itself almost entirely full. Most people get discharged fairly quickly: they're soldiers, they've dealt with more grievous injuries before (even if the situation they got their current injuries in was pretty incredible). A few days later, more are discharged with prescriptions or splints, and everyone else starts leaving the place in smaller and smaller clusters. Eventually, it's just Ed and Al left, and some time later only Al still there round the clock, mostly because the doctors have never before had to treat someone for suddenly having a body again.

Though he's been fully discharged (albeit with follow up appointments booked up for the next several months), Ed still spends almost all his time at the hospital with Al. He knows he doesn't have to, that Al is getting the best care possible, but he wants to keep him company. Hospital stays are boring, so Ed brings books and they sit together on the bed poring over them. He brings (surreptitiously because the nurses keep telling him off) different foods, because Al hasn't tasted anything in _years_ and he wants to try it all. Some of it's too rich for his stomach and he vomits; Ed gets good at hiding the evidence so that he doesn't get his already lenient visitation rights revoked. Some days Al's worn out and Ed sits by his bed reading while he sleeps, but more often than not he marvels at the fact that Al is actually _breathing_ after all this time.

It's nearly noon when they hear a knock at the door and Ed scrambles to hide the fried sweetbread brought from the market for Al.

"Come in!" Al calls once it's been secreted away, and Mustang strides in, carrying a bunch of sunflowers.

Ed can feel his stomach twist and face heat up. Is he in trouble? He's not entirely sure what his employment status is right now, but his maybe-CO turning up in Al's hospital room seems unusual at best.

"Good morning general," Al greets Mustang, sounding pleased to be able to use the new rank, but Mustang waves a hand.

"Nothing is official yet," he says, but there's a pleased little smile playing the corners of his mouth that Ed can't take his eyes off. "Everything is still very much a mess at Central Command. I only managed to escape the chains on my desk to bring these because I had an appointment here." He brandishes the flowers. "Is there anywhere I can put them?"

Ed finds a vase and they set the bouquet up on the windowsill. Al's smile is bright and cheerful, and the sight lightens Ed's heart.

"Thank you," says Al.

"It's no problem," says Mustang. "We all wanted you to know we're thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery."

"Next time bring food," says Ed, and he hopes his tone is light and jovial but he can't always control his voice when Mustang's around. "Al's still underweight."

"Am not," pipes up Al, pouting before explaining to Mustang, "I got into the healthy weight bracket two days ago, just the doctors want me to gain another four pounds before I can go. I'm eating two extra meals a day but apparently my metabolism is insane now that it's awake."

Mustang chuckles. "Hopefully it goes back into a state of semi-hibernation soon."

Al nods but anything he might be about to say is cut off with a yawn.

"You okay Al?" asks Ed.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," says Al. "I might sleep for a while."

Ed helps Al settle back into the bed – sometimes his spine is still tender, but when he goes to sit in the chair by the bed, Al stops him.

"Hey, don't be boring and sit here – you should go for a walk," he says, a small smile on his face. "You need sunlight."

Ed frowns, covering the panic that raises its head within him. "I don't mind, I can stay here. I want to."

Al shakes his head. "No, go – I'll be fine," he insists. "Go for a walk with the general, get some lunch."

Ed's throat is too dry to say anything: he finds himself leaving the room with Mustang, leaving the hospital and stepping out onto the streets of Central. Next to Mustang, Ed still feels short, even if he knows he's not that much smaller, and words evade him entirely. It's not as though Mustang is making an effort towards conversation either, so Ed has no idea if his presence is even welcome. He didn't dare look at Mustang's face when Al suggested this expedition. Ed clears his throat.

"Thanks for bringing the flowers for Al," he says. "He misses everyone."

"We miss him," says Mustang. "We miss both of you."

"Really?" Ed can't keep the disbelief from his voice and he finally looks at Mustang, who nods.

"We spent so much time with the both of you," he explains. "It feels somewhat strange for things to suddenly be so different."

Ed considers this, chewing on the words. His heart is pounding and he hopes it doesn't make his voice unsteady when he replies, "We caused so much trouble though."

"You did," Mustang almost laughs. "The paperwork I'm struggling through is almost entirely your fault."

Ed flushes a little, breathes out to keep himself from snapping because he's not a kid anymore. "Sorry."

Mustang shakes his head as they walk through the gates of the park. "It couldn't be helped."

They walk in silence for a few more long moments, listening to pigeons cooing in the trees around them, before Ed asks, "So did they fix Havoc's legs? You said you wanted them to use the stone for that first."

Mustang nods. "Marcoh used it and Havoc's going through physical therapy."

"And you?"

"I can see," says Mustang. "I have to have glasses for reading though – there wasn't enough to restore my sight fully."

"Oh..." Ed can't picture Mustang with glasses. They turn a corner and walk along the path beside the boating lake. "It's so weird to think it's all... over."

Mustang nods once more. "It is. I imagine more so for you and Al."

"What do you mean?"

Mustang shrugs. "It was your _life_. You were a child when you started down the path and now you're..." He trails off, looks at Ed, looks away again. "Not a child anymore."

Ed feels his face flush again as they come to a stop at the edge of the lake. There's something that might be hanging behind Mustang's words but Ed doesn't know if he should probe it for meaning. "I guess."

They fall back into silence briefly, watching ripples crossing the surface of the water, before Mustang speaks again.

"You're one of the most extraordinary people I've ever met."

Ed looks at him sharply, sure that there's colour in his cheeks now. "Huh?"

"You went through so much to get to this point," says Mustang, and it feels like he's avoiding Ed's gaze. "You lost things and you fought to get them back. Granted, you probably shouldn't have tried with some of those things but... I've never met someone so resilient in my life before. Everything you've been through..."

There's a slightly far-off look in Mustang's eyes and Ed knows he's thinking about the Gate, the shadowy arms and the immense eye. He's only been there once, but once is enough. Almost without thinking, Ed reaches out and puts a hand on Mustang's shoulder.

"It's over," he says, trying to offer some comfort even while he tries not to think about where this could lead.

Their eyes lock, black and gold, and one of Mustang's hands comes up to cover Ed's. Ed feels his brain check out as Mustang leans in and leaves a short, tender kiss on his lips. When he steps back, his face carries a question mark of concern. Ed stares at him for a moment, not quite believing that it was real, before taking Mustang's face in his hands and kissing him again.


End file.
